


Tick Tock

by LaughingThalia



Category: DCU, Gotham (TV)
Genre: Brainwashing, Hypnotism, Past Brainwashing, Suicidal Thoughts, suic, trigger (possibly)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-15
Updated: 2018-04-15
Packaged: 2019-04-23 01:49:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14321865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LaughingThalia/pseuds/LaughingThalia
Summary: Jim Gordon may have broken Jervis Tetch's hypnotism but The Mad Hatter never removed his influence.Jim deals with those consequences from time to time.





	1. Santiago's Desk Clock

The first time it happened Jim was talking to the Captain and Harvey at the precinct about some Indian Hill escapee sightings when he became very aware of the clock sitting on Detective Amy Santiago's desk.

The ticking reached his ears and drowned out the sound of the conversation happening right in front of him and all the background chatter of cops and criminals alike.

Without even thinking his hand curled around his gun that was safely in his secret side holster. 'Don't put it to our head.'

He didn't even realise he had stopped breathing until Harvey slapped him on the shoulder softly and he took a gasp of breath a if his body was starving for it. "Jim you okay?"

James looked at him bewildered "Yeah." He nodded not very reassuringly "Yeah, I'm fine." He listened to the conversation trying to catch up on what he had missed but after a couple of minutes it became evident that he couldn't concentrate if he could still hear the clock.

He tried to be as subtle as he could when he went to put the clock in Officer Santiago's top drawer of her desk but when you're standing right next to two seasoned detectives you're bound to get caught whether you're subtle or not.

Jim looked up from the desk to find both Harvey and The Captain looking at him oddly. Neither man said anything but Jim could tell they both wanted to, they just knew that Jim didn't want to so neither mentioned it.

They continued to discuss the monster running around down-town Gotham and co-ordinated an attack plan that pleased both Captain Barnes and bounty hunter Gordon.


	2. Barbara's Pocket Watch

The second time it happened he was at Sirens looking for Barbara to get some information on a criminal in Gotham.

He'd entered as he usually did, all swagger and danger; demanding answers to questions he hadn't even asked yet, not wanting to deal with any of her bullshit and not wanting to be reminded of the woman he used to love. But as Barbara sauntered up to him, hips swaying, drink in hand and a manic grin plastered on her face he found himself distracted, something he didn't usually allow himself to be around Barbara. He found himself focussing on the chain-watch dangling off her neck, and she knew it. That was a dangerous combination.

“Hey Jim.”

He didn't answer. He couldn't. He was transfixed, completely focussed on the uniform tick-tick-ticking sound emanating from around her neck.

“Jervis Tetch really did a number on you didn't he.”

He nodded absent mindedly as his hand reached for his gun.

Barbara stepped right up to him, getting into his personal space, another thing James usually didn't allow, and tutted him “Tut-tut-tut Jim. Let's not go killing ourselves just yet, don't you want to have a little fun before you splatter your brains out?” She led him to a booth and sat him down sliding in next to him “You're usually a lot more talkative, I'm not sure I like this version of you.”

“I'm not sure I do either.” Jim replied sadly.

“Oh come on Jim, don't be such a downer. Let's have some fun!” She straddled him in the seat and placed his hands on her butt as she kissed him roughly.

She turned when she heard the tell tale signs of heels clipping the floor “Barbs, what are you doing?” Tabitha asked.

“Tetch's brainwashing is still affecting him. He's a lot more fun like this.”

“Like hell he is!” Harvey yelled as he entered behind her guns aimed at the usually armed woman. “I'm not gonna get into a fight with you two but I would appreciate it if I could have my partner back.”

“I was under the impression that Jim was no longer part of the GCPD.” Tabitha grinned at him.

“He's still my partner so how about you hand me that watch and you let the two of us leave.”

“Ugh fine! The two of you are no fun at all.” She got off of Jim, took off her necklace-watch and placed it in his hand and then set him walking in Bullock's direction “Here, have him back.”

As Jim walked almost like a zombie towards him Harvey met him half way taking the watch from him and smashing it under foot. The affects were immediate, he snapped out of it and looked around confused. “Harvey?" He spun around "Tabitha? Barbara? What?”

“She used the Jervis thing against you.” Harvey explained.

Jim looked panicked at that “To do what?!”

“Relax Jimbo, all I did was make out with you. And now I owe you, so what was that piece of information that you wanted?”


	3. Music Meister's Metronome

The third time it happened they were in a music shop. Looking for some kid who could control people with his voice who went around calling himself The Music Meister. Harvey had pulled Jim into the fold when it was clear that this kids powers weren't a wolf cry but an actual danger, and with James Gordon being the number one expert on Gotham's freaks Barnes didn't disagree as hard as he usually did when Harvey had told him.

The two men walked into 'Narrow Tunes' the music shop in the heart of The Narrows, it was honestly a wonder that it had managed to stay in business at all. As they entered they took in the sound of a man trying to play the piano in time with a metronome. Jim's eye twitched as he walked to the counter to talk to the shop owner “Hi, I'm James Gordon, that's Detective Bullock we're looking for someone, wondering if you could help us.”

“I'm Barney Patrick-Harris and I'd be happy to help you in any way possible officer.”

Jim scoffed “I'm not an officer, not any more at least, more of a private investigator. But thanks for your co-operation.” He reached down to his pocket to get the grainy picture they had of the Music Meister from a traffic camera and for what felt like the longest three seconds of his life his hand hovered over his gun _'You could rest Jim.'_ He was shaken out of his short trance when the metronome shut off and he looked up to see Harvey and the pianist discussing heatedly why he had shut off his metronome. Jim sent him a grateful look and then proceeded to get the picture out of his pocket and show it to the man at the counter.

“Huh. Well the weird costume isn't ringing any bells but it does sort of look like a kid who comes in here most Wednesdays. He's a pretty quiet kid though, I can't imagine him doing anything weird. Wait... what exactly did he do?”

“Well according to witnesses he controlled them with his voice. And believe me I know it sounds ridiculous but I've learned to stop questioning these things.”

“Ah huh.” Barney nodded unsurely “Well... like I said quite kid, comes in on Wednesdays.”

“Thank you.”


	4. Zsasz' Wrist Watch

The fourth time it happened James Gordon was in court testifying to make sure a dangerous criminal would be locked up for good. He was mid testimony when a suspicious man entered. Jim didn't recognise him straight away, he didn't even look in his direction until he heard the tick-tock-tick sound coming from the gallery, across the entire court. His eye twitched as he tried to figure out a way to get it to stop without seeming weird or crazy.

He was just glad that he didn't have his gun on him at the moment because other wise the whole situation could have been a lot worse. Unfortunately he had the overwhelming sense to just tighten his tie and keep tightening it until he couldn't breathe anymore. He sat on his hands and continued speaking about the apprehension of the criminal.

“And Barbara Keen just gave you this information freely?” The defence attorney asked.

“Well she kind of owed me.”

“And tell me what favour could a known criminal and former resident of Arkham Asylum owe you.”

“...” Jim hesitated. Had he been concentrating properly he would have down played Barbara's role in the whole thing a lot more. He couldn't exactly say she'd kissed him whilst he was brainwashed and he couldn't say he went in there guns a-blazing like he usually did. Then again, the attorney had asked _'could'_ that left the question open to interpretation meaning he could technically lie without perjuring himself “...we used to date.” Sure that wasn't the reason she had given him the information but it is a reason she _could_ have given him the information and in the end that _was_ the question.

“Is that why you didn't arrest her?”

“No I didn't arrest her because she's served her time in Arkham.” His eyes flickered towards the gallery where he could still hear that insentient ticking noise.

“Is there somewhere you need to be Detective Gordon?” The lawyer asked mistaking the glance at the man for a glance at the door.

“No, it's just someone's watch or something is really distracting.”

“A watch?” The attorney smiled like it was his birthday “A watch is distracting you?”

Jim knew he'd made a mistake in bringing it up instantly, he spared a glance at the Prosecutor and she very dutifully stood up and exclaimed “Objection Your Honour, line of questioning.” 

The Judge nodded in agreement “I must say the line of question does seem awfully odd, what's the purpose.”

“For character. Trust me Your Honour, you'll want to hear this.”

Jim huffed and sent him a glare as the Judge allowed him to proceed.

“Detective Gordon. Tell me about Jervis Tetch.”

James swallowed “He is an... individual who is currently locked up in Arkham Asylum.”

“Would you describe him as powered?”

“I would, yes.”

“And what is his power.”

“He hypnotises people.”

“Hypnotises people? Like he makes people fall asleep or think they're chickens?”

“No, well I mean yes he can do that but he's a _real_ hypnotist, as in it actually works. We were first alerted to him when he used his powers to steal an expensive necklace from a couple and then hypnotised the man into killing his wife and himself so that the theft would go unnoticed.”

“And have you been affected by Jervis Tetch before?”

“Yes.” Jim almost growled.

“And what did he make you do.”

Jim stared him down and the whole court was tense. “He made me try to kill myself any time I heard a specific ticking sound.”

The Jury and Gallery gasped in shock.

“Like the one that was distracting you?”

“Yes like that one.”

“And how many times did you attempt to kill yourself.”

“Before we arrested him I think-” He counted on his hands but was mumbling out loud “jump off a roof, walk into the road, gun, gun again.” then he stopped mumbling “About 4 times, although that fourth time I didn't do it using my own strength, and not because someone tackled me to the ground before I'd managed to kill myself.”

“How when did it stop affecting you?”

“Technically never.”

“So you're suicidal?”

“ _No_. Because even if it distracts me I haven't actually killed myself in the four time since his arrest that I've heard the sound nor do I want to. Now I know I'm technically not allowed but I object to this line of questioning, what was the big revaluation you were so sure the Judge would want to hear because I must say he looks bored as hell.”

“I am.” The Judge said.

“What? You're not interested to know that one of GCPD's finest officers is suicidal.”

“Not suicidal!” Jim corrected.

“Maybe if I was reading the newspaper or the case was about Detective Gordon but seeing as this case is not about him but in fact the alleged murderer I don't see why I should care about this.”

The Defence Attorney deflated “Well then Detective that's the end of my questions.”

“Okay then.” He stood up and the bailiff allowed him exit. He walked out of the front area of the court and into the gallery and as he neared the door he did a double take when he passed the man with the watch to find it was Victor Zsasz with a gun pointed straight at him. He froze. How had no one around him seen the gun. Looking around at the people he saw that they had only just now noticed.

James didn't have his gun. He couldn't duck out of the way because there were people behind him, he was a sitting duck at the complete mercy of Zsasz and his gun and now because of his pocket watch Jim found his need to dive out of the way diminish significantly. Why shouldn't he just stand here and let Zsasz shoot him? He was tired, he thought he deserved the rest.

“Detective?” The Judge called from the front. Or course people in Gotham knew better then to scream, if you screamed and hollered in a place like this the guy might start shooting and you'd probably be first to go so of course the Judge and people closer to the front had no idea what was going on.

Jim looked up at the Judge, wondering how to clue him in without just outright saying it. Then he realised it didn't matter either way “I have a gun trained on me.”

The Judge was silent. Any back up he called would not be faster than a bullet. There was virtually nothing he could do. “...is that so.” He said unsure.

Jim replied, keeping his voice even and his tone neutral “Yeah.” And then in the complete silence of a room of people practically in a hostage situation Jim took a chance and dived straight at the bald man hands already wrapped around his guns so he couldn't point them at anyone or pull the trigger.

They grappled for a second Jim using his own head as a battering ram as he slammed it into Victor's and then slapped one of the guns out of his hand. It flew across the floor and into the middle aisle and then James managed to grab the other one out of his hand and train it on Zsasz.

“Shouldn't you be training that on yourself?” Zsasz taunted as he held up the watch.

James' jaw tightened but his hand did waver, even if it was just for a second, it was quite noticeable, “You are under arrest for the attempted murder of a Police officer and possessing a gun I'm 99% sure isn't registered to your name. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be held against you in a court of law-”

“Oh come on Jimbo, are you really going to arrest me when you know I'm going to break out and kill every guard in my path?”

That did make Jim hesitate, that was entirely true, Victor was probably going to escape and take Gotham's Finest out whilst he had the chance, but he was in court “You have the right to an attorney, if you can not afford one, one will be appointed to you-”

“Do you really want to have all those deaths on your hand? Another thing to keep you up at night.”

“And if you go on a killing spree and I don't arrest you then I'd be to blame for the death of innocent civilians.”

“Oh come on, we both know this is Gotham! No civilian is innocent.”

“Do you understand these rights as I have said them?”

“Gordon-”

“Do you understand these rights as I have said them?!”

“Yeah.”

“Good.” Two armed police officers entered the court “Looks like your ride is here.”


End file.
